Clark Atlanta University’s senior wins Bloomberg Trading Challenge

01/22/2023

Atlanta, GA (January 26, 2023) - Bloomberg for Education and Bloomberg Human Resources put the finance knowledge of more than 60 students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to the test in a new environmental, social, governance (ESG) trading challenge event, with Clark Atlanta University School of Business senior, Darren Stephens declared as the winner, based on his trade performance. 

The Bloomberg and HBCU ESG Trading Challenge is a virtual investment competition taking place entirely at the Bloomberg Terminal. Students from Clark Atlanta University, Howard University, Hampton University, Morehouse College, and Morgan State University were among the first to participate. Students invested $1 million virtual US dollars across securities while receiving support from faculty advisors and training from Bloomberg employees.

“This was my first time interacting with the Bloomberg Terminal, and the Bloomberg team did a great job teaching me how to navigate and complete analytical research on companies,” said Stephens. “I learned through this experience that investing requires you to take risks.” 

This initiative stemmed from the annual Bloomberg Global Trading Challenge, Bloomberg’s flagship Terminal-based investment competition. The Bloomberg and HBCU ESG Trading Challenge is geared toward Black students in the US who are typically underrepresented in the finance industry. It was created to help HBCU students build marketable skills and knowledge needed to compete for finance jobs.

As part of their participation, students were among the first to access the Bloomberg for Education ESG Certificate course focused on sustainable investing, an increasingly relevant area of finance. Upon completion of the course, students receive a certificate of completion that they can put on their resumes and LinkedIn profiles.

“Bloomberg for Education aims to better equip university students for the everchanging financial world,” said Emily Perrucci, Bloomberg Global Head of User Support. “These interactive courses give students the opportunity to grow their working knowledge and familiarize themselves with the Bloomberg Terminal.”

Students who participate in the challenge also receive direct access to Bloomberg recruiters who provide professional development support around interviewing and resume creation. 

The Bloomberg and HBCU ESG Trading Challenge is the latest addition to Bloomberg’s ever-growing relationship with HBCUs nationwide and represents Bloomberg’s commitment to nurturing a pipeline of diverse talent across financial services. 

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About Clark Atlanta University

Clark Atlanta University was formed with the consolidation of Atlanta University and Clark College, both of which hold unique places in the annals of African American history. Atlanta University, established in 1865 by the American Missionary Association, was the nation’s first institution to award graduate degrees to African Americans. Clark College, established four years later in 1869, was the nation’s first four-year liberal arts college to serve a primarily African American student population. Today, with nearly 4,000 students, CAU is the largest of the four institutions (CAU, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Morehouse School of Medicine) that comprise the Atlanta University Center Consortium. It is also the largest of the 37-member UNCF institutions. Notable alumni include: James Weldon Johnson; American civil rights activist, poet, and songwriter (Lift Every Voice and Sing “The Black National Anthem”; Ralph David Abernathy Sr., American civil rights activist; Congressman Hank

Johnson, Georgia District 4; Kenya Barris, American award-winning television and movie producer; Kenny Leon, Tony Award-winning Broadway Director; Jacque Reid, Emmy Award-winning Television Personality and Journalist; Brandon Thompson, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for NASCAR; Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the Recording Academy. To learn more about Clark Atlanta University, visit www.cau.edu.